Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
Italy • 9 days, 8 nights
Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The wall commemorating 11,908 Jewish victims of the Shoah from Frankfurt.
Börneplatz Memorial
Entrance to the munitions area of the lower part of the bunker
Simserhof
Carlos Calderón Yruegas calls the villa his personal playground.
Villa Tabaiba
Apples and pears, Spitalfields Market.
Brick Lane Roundels
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
1 day ago
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
2 days ago
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.
Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound
2 days ago
Longwood House, where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his final years.
The Longwood House: Napoleon Bonaparte’s Beautiful Prison
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States New York State New York City Brooklyn Childs Restaurant Building
Gastro Obscura

Childs Restaurant Building

The flagship building of an early national restaurant chain is a superb example of terra cotta art.

Brooklyn, New York

Added By
Andres Schiffino
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Spanish colonial revival style of the Childs restaurant building made it unique at the time.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
The Spanish colonial revival style of the Childs restaurant building made it unique at the time.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of the varied sea life that is depicted on one of the columns.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
Poseidon in all his glory.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
Piscean symbology adorns the outside of the Childs restaurant building.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
A regal sailing ship.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
A mix of imagery in the terra cotta artwork.   Andres Schiffino / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

At the turn of the century, the Childs family gambled on a then-novel idea. They expanded their business from one very successful restaurant to a chain of restaurants identical in service and quality. Their innovations, including promoting cleanliness and providing a quick and easy cafeteria format, proved to be popular. By 1923, the company had reached such a height that they added a flagship location in the nation's amusement capital, Coney Island, with a grand building that would be viewed as a work of art itself.

A team of top architects and artists worked on the building, which was built in the resort style that was common for seaside architecture at the time, but with a strong Spanish colonial revival influence. The building was large and included three floors and a rooftop lounge. What was even more marvelous was the detailed terra cotta artwork that decorated the exterior. Colorful depictions of aquatic creatures as well as ships and the sea god Poseidon populate the outside of the building.

After peaking in the 1920s, the Childs restaurant chain began a gradual downward slump. By the early 1960s most of the Childs restaurants had closed and their dominance in North America would be replaced by cheaper competitors such as McDonald's. Their flagship restaurant would turn into a candy factory for many years, but that too would eventually fold and the building fell into disrepair.

Despite being abandoned, the Childs restaurant building was never completely forgotten. Architecture fans and devotees of terra cotta art would visit the Coney Island boardwalk to admire it. Over time, the growing appreciation for its design would lead to a preservation campaign. In 2002, the city of New York awarded the Childs restaurant building with landmark status.

After renovations, a casual restaurant serving American cuisine has opened inside the building. The Childs restaurant building is part of a larger complex now that includes a public park and an amphitheater where top musical acts perform. 

Related Tags

Architecture Restaurants Boardwalks Islands Design Beaches Unique Restaurants & Bars

Know Before You Go

Take the Q, N, D, or F train to Stillwell Avenue/Coney Island. Walk to West 21st street then toward the beach. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Andres Schiffino

Edited By

wherearewedude

  • wherearewedude

Published

June 24, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://kitchen-21.com/
  • https://ny.curbed.com/2017/5/17/15649350/coney-island-childs-restaurant-kitchen-21
  • https://www.citylab.com/life/2016/02/childs-restaurant-food-safety-sanitation-hygiene/459762/
  • https://fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com/
  • http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2106.pdf
  • http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2106.pdf
Childs Restaurant Building
3052 W 21st St
Brooklyn, New York
United States
40.573083, -73.987686
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Coney Island Mermaid Parade

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Coney Art Walls

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Coney Island Museum

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Brooklyn

Brooklyn

New York

Places 241
Stories 46

Nearby Places

Coney Island Mermaid Parade

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Coney Art Walls

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Coney Island Museum

Brooklyn, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Brooklyn

Brooklyn

New York

Places 241
Stories 46

Related Places

  • Milos, Greece

    Sirocco

    This "volcanic all-day restaurant" is right on the beach.

  • San Francisco, California

    Prubechu

    Get a taste of Chamorro cuisine, family-style, at this popular restaurant.

  • Michamvi, Tanzania

    The Rock

    Sitting atop a rock on Michamvi Pingwe beach, this restaurant becomes its own island at high tide.

  • Inside the restaurant.

    Lindesnes, Norway

    Under

    The world's largest underwater restaurant is submerged off the southern tip of Norway.

  • Sun Barrels of Cape Kolka

    Latvia

    Houses of the Sun

    Rent a barrel for a personal view of where the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga.

  • The tiritas.

    Puerto Escondido, Mexico

    El Bunker de JP

    In this beloved beach town, a secret seafood haven lies tucked behind a car wash.

  • Alnwick, England

    The Treehouse Restaurant at Alnwick Gardens

    This giant wooden treehouse within a sprawling garden has its own eatery.

  • Amsterdam, Netherlands

    REM Eiland

    This pirate-broadcasting-tower-turned-restaurant played a rebellious role in the history of Dutch television.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.